I read that one years ago. A bit outdated now, but cool to see metal getting academic respect nonehteless.
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- Thread starter Rakosh
- Start date
I read that one years ago. A bit outdated now, but cool to see metal getting academic respect nonehteless.
Pellaz
Tigron of Immanion
But of course! That's all part of the fun!
hahaha, I don't think there really is an ending for the Deryni series; they're very much character-driven (whether it's the older ones with Camber et al. or the newer ones with Kelson, etc.) and so there isn't a fixed destination, like (say) with Robert Jordan's.
I love Kurtz's work. By far some of the best 'ritual magic' books out there. She manages to mix religion (specifically, Christianity) with a well-developed magickal system, and yet she never puts down Christianity....although, to be sure, she portrays a lot of the Church hierarchy as being evil or small-minded. But there are a lot of good folk, too.
Speaking of which...I am currently rereading Tanya Huff's excellent "Blood Price," which features one of my favorite "good guy" vampires, Henry Fitzroy. Since reading it over a decade ago, I found out that Tanya Huff is a lesbian. What I find interesting is how she treats Christianity pretty even-handedly; despite his vampire status (not to mention his bisexuality), Henry is Catholic, and not seemingly a lapsed one at that. I have to give Huff a lot of credit here for presenting a more balanced worldview instead of "Feh! Christians! Feh! All are judgmental! Feh!"
Anyway, "Blood Price" is good. Henry is a heroic vampire character without being 1.) whiny, and 2.) a "Highlander"/ninja crossbreed. He is quite possibly the most well-adjusted vampire I have ever read about.
yardleybates
Chick Wrangler
But of course! That's all part of the fun!
hahaha, I don't think there really is an ending for the Deryni series; they're very much character-driven (whether it's the older ones with Camber et al. or the newer ones with Kelson, etc.) and so there isn't a fixed destination, like (say) with Robert Jordan's.
I love Kurtz's work. By far some of the best 'ritual magic' books out there. She manages to mix religion (specifically, Christianity) with a well-developed magickal system, and yet she never puts down Christianity....although, to be sure, she portrays a lot of the Church hierarchy as being evil or small-minded. But there are a lot of good folk, too.
Oooh both sound interesting!
Yippee38
Living the dream!
For you Vampire/fantasy people, have you read the "Dhampir" books by Barb & J.C. Hendee? They're pretty good in as much as they focus on a vampire hunter in a fantasy (elves and stuff) setting. It's one of those settings where magic and all that stuff is sufficiently rare as to be almost mythical to the common man. They're a fun read.
I was wondering about those, so thanks for the explanation. I was a little put off by them because of the "elf element." I like elves in moderation, but wasn't too sure about the combination. However, I really, really like the idea that magic and the supernatural is not as commonplace as I thought it would be (the covers just look like fantasy novels with a vampire dumped in). I'll definitely check them out now.
What are the vampires like? I am hoping for powerful "dark lords of night" in the Dracula vei - er, tradition.
Yippee38
Living the dream!
Well, it's a feudal society, so some of them have, of course, gained power over long stretches of time and become lords. Others just retained most of their personality from before they were vampires. They are pretty traditional vampires I guess.
You have some that are very "Dracula" type vampires, but then some of the vampires that they have created are weaker, and more like street thugs of the vampire world. There is also some kind of mysterious subplot that has been developing throughout the books. I'm not sure what it's about yet.
Pellaz
Tigron of Immanion
That's exactly the reason why I like K. Kurtz's Deryni works. She judges the people, but not the religion. And just as she portrays good and bad Church folk, she shows a lot of downright nasty Deryni along with the good ones.
I'll have to hunt that one down. I've never read anything by Huff, but writer acquaintances I know have spoken highly of her stuff. Hmm, that was almost poetic.
That's a good way to describe Huff's approach as well. I think you'd like Henry Fitzroy; while I am tired of the "regular joe" type of vampire that we see all the time these days, Huff was there before most everyone else, and she is also a good writer.
The "Blood" books have recently been reissued twice - the newest covers are a tie-in to the TV show that is based on them (which I haven't seen, but the guy playing Henry looks spot-on). However, they've also released them as omnibus editions - 2-in-1 editions that tun around $8.99 each, but in the long run that is a much cheaper way to go.
LunaTEKKE
Madness Reigns
- Mar 23, 2006
- 1,220
- 8
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GAAAAAA! Since Kurtz has been slowly closing the gap between the current and older characters, I figured it was all moving towards a climax with a nice, neat ending.
See, there I go again with wanting to know how everything ends. (Don't EVEN get me started on the story to Shadow Gallery's "Room V"...)
Well, it's not precisely balanced either, but there's always Stephen R. Lawhead's Arthurian books, in which *all* the Christians are good and wise and awesome - or if they aren't to start with, they become so.
Conversely, it's "Feh! Pagans! Feh!"
sh0kr0k
Active Member
Pellaz
Tigron of Immanion
Wow, kinda forgot about this thread.
Recently finished:
C.J. Cherryh, Downbelow Station -- excellent! I reallly enjoyed her 'Chanur' books, which are set in the same universe as this, but kinda on the 'other side.' Now I'll have to seek out some of the other books that are set here in 'Human' space, as opposed to the multi-species area, centered on MeetPoint Station, where 'Chanur' takes place.
Terry Pratchett, Making Money -- very good to excellent! I think this brings me current on the Discworld books. I might have missed some of the finer humorous references here, which is why I didn't simply rate it 'excellent.' Curiously enough, the other recent Discworld book that didn't quite 'cut all the mustard' for me, Feet of Clay, also involved golems.
Not sure what book I'll be reading next. I might revisit a [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Wraeththu-Storm-Constantine/dp/0312890001/ref=sr_1_2/102-0907758-7210569?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193121208&sr=1-2]Wraeththu[/ame] short-story I've been working on intermittently.
edit: wow, neet, I didn't put that Amazon logo there.....
Recently finished:
C.J. Cherryh, Downbelow Station -- excellent! I reallly enjoyed her 'Chanur' books, which are set in the same universe as this, but kinda on the 'other side.' Now I'll have to seek out some of the other books that are set here in 'Human' space, as opposed to the multi-species area, centered on MeetPoint Station, where 'Chanur' takes place.
Terry Pratchett, Making Money -- very good to excellent! I think this brings me current on the Discworld books. I might have missed some of the finer humorous references here, which is why I didn't simply rate it 'excellent.' Curiously enough, the other recent Discworld book that didn't quite 'cut all the mustard' for me, Feet of Clay, also involved golems.
Not sure what book I'll be reading next. I might revisit a [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Wraeththu-Storm-Constantine/dp/0312890001/ref=sr_1_2/102-0907758-7210569?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193121208&sr=1-2]Wraeththu[/ame] short-story I've been working on intermittently.
edit: wow, neet, I didn't put that Amazon logo there.....
JenniferLynn
AKA Irish
metalprof
Ken Luther
Recently finished...
Robert Graysmith, "Zodiac" - excellent, though ultimately biased, account of the Zodiac murders.
William Hill, "Dawn of the Vampire" - TVA is responsible for making vampires mad. Chaos ensues in Eastern TN.
Brian Hodge, "Hellboy" On Earth as it is in Hell" - excellent tie-in novel written by a fan of Norwegian black metal.
Tim Lebbon, "30 Days of Night" novelization - read before the movie.
Stephen Mark Rainey and Elizabeth Rainey, "Dark Shadows: Dreams of the Dark" - maybe I am not missing out after all when it comes to missing out on "Dark Shadows."
John Steakley, "Vampire$" - kinda sorta the inspiration for "John Carpenter's Vampires," though only superficial resemblances remained.
...possibly Dan Simmons' "Carrion Comfort" next
Robert Graysmith, "Zodiac" - excellent, though ultimately biased, account of the Zodiac murders.
William Hill, "Dawn of the Vampire" - TVA is responsible for making vampires mad. Chaos ensues in Eastern TN.
Brian Hodge, "Hellboy" On Earth as it is in Hell" - excellent tie-in novel written by a fan of Norwegian black metal.
Tim Lebbon, "30 Days of Night" novelization - read before the movie.
Stephen Mark Rainey and Elizabeth Rainey, "Dark Shadows: Dreams of the Dark" - maybe I am not missing out after all when it comes to missing out on "Dark Shadows."
John Steakley, "Vampire$" - kinda sorta the inspiration for "John Carpenter's Vampires," though only superficial resemblances remained.
...possibly Dan Simmons' "Carrion Comfort" next
Troy the nomad
Actually I've resettled
Wow, kinda forgot about this thread.
Terry Pratchett, Making Money -- very good to excellent! I think this brings me current on the Discworld books. I might have missed some of the finer humorous references here, which is why I didn't simply rate it 'excellent.' Curiously enough, the other recent Discworld book that didn't quite 'cut all the mustard' for me, Feet of Clay, also involved golems.
First off, I'm a Terry Pratchett fanboy. Now, as I'm about 2/3's of the way through this, I'm really enjoying it. I really enjoy Ventinari though he gets a little out of character here... and give me more DEATH please... Also Feet of Clay is more than 10 years and 12 books ago...
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